Wrestler Shiranui Nagiemon from Higo Province by Utagawa Kunisada

Wrestler Shiranui Nagiemon from Higo Province 1843

print, ink, color-on-paper

ink painting

print

junji ito style

japan

personal sketchbook

ink

color-on-paper

ink drawing experimentation

pen-ink sketch

pen work

sketchbook drawing

watercolour illustration

sketchbook art

doodle art

This 1843 woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada depicts Shiranui Nagiemon, a wrestler from Higo Province. Kunisada, a prolific artist of the Edo period, is known for his dynamic portrayals of sumo wrestlers, kabuki actors, and beautiful women. The print shows Nagiemon in a powerful pose, emphasizing his massive physique and the strength of his legs. The use of bold lines and vibrant colors creates a sense of movement and energy, characteristic of Kunisada's style. This print, like many others in the *yokozuna* series, captures the popularity and cultural significance of sumo wrestling in 19th-century Japan.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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This three-sheet set of prints represents the dohyō-ir, or ring-entering ceremony, at the beginning of a tournament day. Takaneyama appears on the left as the tachi-mochi, or sword carrier, one of the two attendants of the wrestler who performs the ceremony. On the right sits Kurokumo, who functions as the “dew sweeper” (tsuyuharai), the attendant who in ancient times would clear the path for the wrestlers. The ceremony itself is performed by a yokozuna, a high-ranking wrestler, in this case Shiranui, in the center. The yokozuna always performs the same moves in the center of the ring, including raising his right foot up high followed by his left.